The Association of College & University Auditors recently noted the following scam. It appears to have happened in the South, but the Yale community should be aware of it.

Winthrop University (South Carolina) was recently contacted by a telemarketing supplier, Texkem Incorporated, 408 Easton Street, Ronkonkoma NY, trying to generate sales of overpriced cleaning supplies/herbicides by furnishing purchasing card holders with gift cards sent to their home address. The tactics used by this company mirror those used by Stone Cold Chemicals, which was been shut down and whose management was convicted in Florida and Georgia. Several states are prosecuting state employees for accepting the gifts (kickbacks). The gifts were usually 10% of the order and consisted of gift cards, watches, NFL jerseys, golf supplies, etc. SCC was shut down in Georgia and Florida in 2003 and the principals convicted on a number of charges.

Should you become aware of such supplier tactics here at Yale University, please contact Chris Mihok, director of Purchasing Services, at 432-9980 or christopher.mihok@yale.edu.